Tripod-stand for photographic cameras



No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. P. CARLTON. A TRIPOD STAND FOR'PHOTOGRAPHIO CAMERAS.

No. 581,808. Patented May 4,1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. P. CARLTON. TRIPOD STAND FOR PHOTOGRAPHIO CAMERAS.

No. 581,808. Patented May 4, 1897. 17197. J p' fi. c f G c Q I mun-mun.

llarrrn States i 1 Erica.

arniwr VILLIAM F. CARLTON, OF ROCHESTER, NE\V YORK.

SPEOIFTCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,808, dated May 4,1897.

Application filed January 20, 1897- Serial No. 619,966. (No modelJ Toall whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. CARLTON, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tripod-Stands for Photographic Cameras and the Like, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present improvements relate to the construction of the collapsiblelegs of a tripod for photographic cameras and the like and to theconstruction of the tripod-head, the objects of the improvements beingto enable the legs to be nested into compact shape, to maintain the legsfirmly in place when in use, and to furnish effective means for holdingthe camera on the tripod-head.

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich-- Figure l is an elevation of the improved tripod-stand, only oneof the legs being shown in full. Fig. 2 is a face View, on a largescale, of one of the legs when collapsed or nested. Fig. 3 is anenlarged face View of the lower end of one of the legs. Fig. at is asectional View of the parts shown in Fig. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 aredetail views showing the clamping mechanism between two sections of theleg, Fig. 7 being a section on the line 7 '7 in Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 beinga section on the line 8 8 in Fig. 5. Figs 9 and 10 are bottom views ofthe tripod-head, showing the parts thereof in different positions. Figs.11 and 12 are vertical sections of portions of the tripod-head.

A is the tripod-head, having, as usual, on its under side pintles a,upon which the legs are journaled and to which they are detachablysecured.

Each of the legs is composed of four sections B, O, D, and E,respectively. These leg-sections are composed of strips of someslightly-elastic material, such as wood. Generally speaking, the lowersection B slides longitudinally or telescopes within the next uppermostor intermediate section C, the said intermediate section 0 slides ortelescopes within the third or body section D, and the bars of which thefourth or upper section E is composed are pivoted near the upper end ofthe said body-section D. The four leg-sections are shown nested togetherin Fig. 2, and as thus nested they are in a small and compact shape,convenient for packing and carrying.

The detail construction of the several sections of the leg can be mostconveniently described by first referring to the section D, which canappropriately be called the body section. This body-section is composedof two longitudinal bars or strips (Z (Z, which are suitably spacedapart to receive the intermediate section C, and are joined togethernear their ends by metallic plates ff g g. Each of the bars (I isprovided with a longitudinal guidegroove h on its inner face, as shownin Figs. 6, 7, and S, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

The upper section E is composed of two longitudinal bars 6 c, pivotednear their lower ends at a to and between ears 1' of the upper plates 9of the body-section D. \Vhen the leg is in use, these bars 6 are turnedupwardly and connected with the pintles a of the tripod-head, beingprovided with journal-apertures j for this purpose. When the leg is notin use, the bars 6 are folded down parallel with, exterior to, andagainst the bars d of the body-section, as shown in Fig. 2.

The section (3, which may appropriately be termed the intermediatesection, is composed of two longitudinal strips 0 c, which are spaced asufficient distance apart to accommodate between them the bottom sectionB. At their lower ends the bars 0 c are connected together by metallicplates Z, but at their upper ends they are free to be moved to and fromeach other. One of the bars, as o, carries rigidly secured thereto nearits up per end a pin or spindle F, which has a pro jecting guide end anoutside of the bar 0, which fits and slides within the longitudinalguide-groove h of the corresponding adjacent bar (I of the body-sectionD. The opposite end of the pin or spindle F plays freelyin an aperturein the upper end of the other bar 0. In this way the two bars 0 c areconnected together at their upper ends and yet are left free to move toand from each other. The purpose of this to-and-fro movement is toenable the intermediate section 0 to be effectively clamped in anydesired position within the body-section D by expanding or spreadingapart the upper ends of the bars 0 0 so that they frictionally grasp andbind tightly against the innerwalls or faces of the bars at d of thebody-section D. then, however, the expansive force applied to the bars 0c is removed, said bars are free to approach each other, thus unclampingthemselves and rendering it easy to slide the intermediate section Ofreely up and down within the bodysection D.

The means employed for thus expanding and clamping the upper ends of thebars 0 are as follows: One of the bars, as c, has rigidly securedthereto a spindle G, havinga projecting guide end a, projecting from theouter face of the bar 0, which fits and slides within the groove 72. ofthe adjacent bar 61. This spindle also projects inwardly and is screwthreaded. Turning on the screwthreaded spindle is an expandingclampingsleeve H, havinga milled manipulating-wheel I, by which saidsleevemay be adjusted upon said spindle. The other bar 0 carries fixedthereto a stud J, projecting inwardly and in line with the spindle G andthe screw-thread ed aperture of the clamping-sleeve H, but sufiicientlysmaller so that said sleeve may slip freely over it. The outer guide end0 of said stud J projects outwardly beyond the bar 0 and fits and slideswithin the groove h of the adjacent side bar (Z. The projections to 0thus constitute guide-pins for the intermediate section O and maintainthe said section in proper relation to the body-section D.

The operation of the clamping-sleeve H is to expand the bars 0 0 when itis turned in one direction, since it thereby moves along the spindle G,encounters the adjacent wall of the bar 0, and forces the same outwardlyuntil it binds tightly against the adjacent bar d. When, however, theclamping-sleeve H is turned in. the opposite direction, the bars 0 c arereleased frompressure and are free to approach each other, whereupon theintermediate section 0 can be freely moved up and down within thebody-section D. One purpose of the stud J is to prevent-the sleeve Hbecoming detached in case it should screw entirely off from the spindleG, and another object is to abut against the inner end of the spindle Gwhen the bars 0 c are sufliciently relaxed, thereby serving as a stop toprevent the displacement of the guide-pins n 0 from their respectivegrooves h h.

The milled turning wheel I of the expanding clamping'sleeve H is locatedwholly within the channel formed by the bars 0 0, so that the presenceof the expanding or clamping mechanism does not prevent the sliding ofthe intermediate section O up and down between the connecting-plates f fand g g of the body-section D.

The bottom section 13 consists of a single bar I), slidingtelescopically within and between the bars 00 of the intermediatesection 0 and between the bottom plates Z Z of said intermediatesection. The bar I) has near its upper end a guide-pin p, projectinglaterally on both sides, which slides within guide-grooves q g on theinner faces of the bars 0 c, and the bar Z) is clamped in any desiredposition relatively to the intermediate section O by means of a clamp K,carried by the intermediate section O, in which respects the bottomsection is similar to previouslyknown constructions.

The inward or nesting movement of the lower section 13 within theintermediate section C is limited by a stud r, projecting from the bar6, which, when the lower section is slid home within the intermediatesection, abuts against the upper cross-bar s of one of the plates Z,this abutting occurring when the point L of the lower section B iswholly inclosed within and protected by the intermediate section 0. Thebottom bar or rail of the plate Z is arched at t to permit the freepassage of the stop 0'.

It will be noted that the leg is composed of four sections which can becompactly nested together into a small space, shown in Fig. 2. This isrendered possible largely by the interior location of the clampingmechanism for the intermediate and body sections between the side barsof the intermediate section. Owing to this location the clampingmechanism does not interfere with the swinging of the bars of the uppersection down against the sides of the body-section, nor does it preventthe compact telescoping of the bottom section within the intermediatesection.

Referring now to Figs. 9, 1O, 11, and 12 of the drawings, illustratingthe tripod-head A in detail, the improved means for holding the camerathereon will be described. The tripodhead has a single vertical aperture0 extendin g therethro ugh, through which the camerafastener H isintroduced from beneath. This fastener M has on its upper end ascrewthreaded portion or head it, which is adapted to screw into asuitable socket on the bottom of the camera. At its lower end thefastener has a wing-handle 03 for manipulating the same. The handle 02and screw-head u are connected by areduced section or shank v of lesserdiameter than the screw-head u or the base of the handle. tripod-head isof a sufficient diameter to permit the free passage of the screw-headit. In order to hold the fastener M in position when the camera is beingplaced on the tripod-head, a movable plate N is fastened to the underside of the tripod-head, preferably by being pivoted at y thereto. Thismovable plate N has an open-mouthed slot .2, which, when the plate N ismoved in the proper direction, straddles the reduced section 12 of thefastener M. The width of the slot .2 is smaller than the diameter of thescrew-head u, so that when the slot .2 is straddling the shank v, asshown in Figs. 10 and 11, the fastener M cannot drop out of place, sincethe screw-head it cannot pass through said slot. It will be noted thatthe length of the reduced section or shank o is suflicient to enable thescrew- The aperture 0 in the head to be screwed completely in and out ofits socket while the slot is in position straddling said shank.

Vhen the camera is not in use, the fastener M is detachably secured tothe tripod-head by means of aclamp P, of resilient metal, secured to thebottom of the tripod-head, the arms of which are arranged to grasp thereduced section or shank e of the fastener, as indicated in Figs. 9 and12. The resilience or elasticity of the arms of the clamp P issufficient to efficiently grasp and hold the fastener in place. hen thefastener is thus held in place, it is entirely out of the way.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the two tripod-legsections O, and D, said body-section D, being composed of twolongitudinal bars connected together, and having guide-grooves h,respectively on their inner faces, and the other or intermediate section0, being composed of two longitudinal bars 0, c, spaced apart, connectedat their lower ends, and free to move to and from each other at theirupper ends, said bars 0, 0 being adapted to slide longi tudinallybetween the two bars of said bodysection, said bar 0', carrying at ornear its free end a pin F, which plays freely in an aperture in theupper end of the other bar 0, a spindle G, secured to said bar 0, havinga projecting end 71, projecting from the outer face of said bar 0', andconstituting a guidepin fitting and sliding within the groove h, of theadjacent bar (Z, and having also an inwardly-projecting screw-threadedend; a stud J, carried by the opposite bar 0, projecting inwardly and inline with the said spindle G, and having an outwardly-eXtendingprojection constituting a guide-pin 0, fitting and sliding within thelongitudinal groove h, of the adjacent side bar cZ, and an expandingcla1111)i11g-slee'\-'e II, having a milled manipulating-wheel I, saidsleeve screwing upon said spindle G, and sliding freely over the inwardly-proj ectin g end of said stud J, whereby the free ends of saidbars 0, 0, may be clamped against the bars 6?, (Z, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of the two tripod-leg sections 0, and D, saidbody-section D, being composed of two longitudinal bars connectedtogether, and having guide-grooves h, respectively on their inner faces,and the other or intermediate section G, being composed of iwolongitudinal bars 0, c, spaced apart and connected at their lower endsand free to move to and from each other at their upper ends, said bars0, 0, being adapted to slide longitudinally between the two bars of saidbody-section; a spindle G, secured to said bar 0, having a projectingend 72, projecting from the outer face of said bar 0, and fitting andsliding within the groove of the adjacent bar (Z, and having also aninwardlyprojecting screw-threaded end, a stud J, carried by the oppositebar 0, projecting inwardly and in line with the said spindle G, andhaving an outwardly-extendin g projection constituting a guide fittingand sliding within the longitudinal groove of the adjacent side bar 6?,and a clamping-sleeve ll, screwing upon said spindle G, and slidingfreely over the inwardly-projecting end of said stud J, whereby the freeends of said bars 0, 0, may be clamped against the bars cl, d,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the two tripod-leg sections 0, and D, saidbody-section D, being composed of two longitudinal bars connectedtogether, and the other or intermediate section 0, being composed of twolongitudinal bars 0, c, spaced apart and connected at their lower endsand free to move to and from each other at their upper ends, said bars0, 0, being adapted to slide longitudinally between the two bars of saidbody-section; a spindle G, secured to said bar 0', having aninwardly-projecting screw-threaded end; a stud J, carried by theopposite bar a, projecting inwardly and in line with the said spindle G;and a clamp ing-sleeve screwing upon said spindle G, and sliding freelyover said stud J, whereby the free ends of said bars 0, 0', may beclamped against the bars cZ,cZ, substantially as set forth.

at. A tripod-leg having, in combination, a body-section, an intermediatesection composed of two bars,sliding telescopically within saidbody-section, and a central clamping device for clamping saidbody-sections together, said clamp being located between said two barsand acting to spread them apart to frictionally grasp the inner walls ofsaid bodysection, substantially as set forth.

5. The section 0, having the spaced bars 0, c, and the plates Z, Z,connecting their lower ends together, one of said plates Z, having uppercross-bar s, and lower cross-bar, said lower cross-bar having the archif, in combination with the section B, sliding telescopically within andbetween said bars 0, c, and said plates Z, Z, said section B, havingprojecting stop 0, near its lower end which passes through said arch t,and abuts against the upper cross-bar s, to limit the inward movement ofsaid lower section, substantially as set forth.

6. The section C, having the spaced bars 0, c, and a plate connectingtheir lower ends together having upper and lower cross-bars, said lowercross-bar having an arch, in combination with the section B, slidingtelesoopically within and between said bars 0, c, and beneath saidplate, said section B, having a projecting stop near its lower end whichpasses through said arch and abuts against said upper cross-bar to limitthe inward movement of said lower section, substantially as set forth.

7. The tripod-head having a central aperture, and the fastener forscrewing a camera to said head, said fastener having an enlargedscrew-threaded head, a wing-handle, and an elongated reduced section orshank connectin g said handle and said screw-threaded head, incombination with a movable plate on the bottom of said tripod-headhaving an openrnouthed slot adapted to straddle said reduced shank butbeing of lesser Width than the diameter of said screw-head,substantially as set forth.

8. The tripod havinga central aperture, and the fastener for screwing acamera to said head, said fastener having an enlarged screwthreadedhead, a handle, and an elongated reduced section or shank connectingsaid handle and head, in combination With a movable plate on the bottomof said tripod-head having an open-mouthed slot adapted to straddle saidreduced shank but being of lesser width than the diameter of saidscrew-head, substantially as set forth. I

9. The fastener M, having reduced shank v, in combination with thetripod-head having the open clamp P, having two separated resilient armsadapted to grasp the said reduced shank, and so hold said fastener inplace when not in use, substantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. CARLTON.

Witnesses:

J. M. WALMsLEY, GEo. J. MOLAUGHLIN.

